Apparatus for joining telephone booths



Oct. 20, 1959 P. H. sHERRoN 2,909,252

APPARATUS FOR JOINING TELEPHONE Boom-1s Original Filed Sept. 3, 1952 IN V EN TOR.

PERCIVAL H. SHERRON ATTORN EYS United States PatentY 4()s APPARATUS FOR JOINING TELEPHONE BOOTHS Percival H. Sherron, Jamaica, N.Y.

Original application September 3, 1952, Serial No. 307,630. Divided andthis application July 20, 1953, Serial No. 369,030 l l s claims. (cl. 189-36) This invention relates to telephone booths and is a division of my copending patent application, Serial No. 307,630, tiled September 3, 1952. More particularly, the invention relates to improved apparatus Afor joining two adjacent telephone booths together.

When a plurality of telephone booths are positioned side by side, it is highly desirable that the booths be held in alignment with each other and that means be provided for closing the space between adjacent booths. This desirability .arises both for appearance considerations and because of the fact that an open space between adjacent booths serves as a collector for dirt and refuse.

Accordingly, it is among the objects of this invention to provide improved apparatus for joining two ladjacent. telephone booths together which serves to hold the adjoining booths in iixed relative positions, serves to close off the space between the two adjacent telephone booths and, furthermore, provides a joining and closing means having attractive appearance.

The foregoing objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus for joining two adjacent telephone booths together; and

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 indicating the relation between the joining apparatus and two adjacent telephone booths.

The joining or clamping apparatus includes a vertically extending strap of metal 270` to which there are pivotally attached, at -a plurality of vertically spaced locations, individual outwardly and oppositely extending straps 272 and 274 by means of pivot .pins 276 passing through the stra-ps 272, 274 and the vertical strap 270. The outer ends of each of the straps 272 are pivotally connected by means of pins 278 to a pair of vertically extending angles 282 which are joined together by a vertically extending hat section member 284 having channel formed flanges 286 adapted to engage the outer ends of the angles 282. The outer ends of the straps 27 4 are pivotally connected by means of pins 280 to a pair of langles 283 which are joined together by a vertically extending hat section member 285 identical to the arrangement of the angles 282 and hat section member 284. The angles 282 and 283 and the hat section members 284 and 285 extend vertically the height of a booth.

When two booths, as indicated at 290 and 292 in Figure 2, are positioned adjacent to each other, the joining apparatus is placed between the booths with the hat section members 284 and 285 and the channel formed extensions thereof outside of the space between the two booths and adapted to engage the iront kfaces of the adjacent front posts of the two booths and the rear faces of the adjacent rear posts of the two booths.

The strap 270 is then drawn upwardly pivoting the horizontal straps 272 and 274 at their respective pivots 276, 278 and 280 and the vertically extending members 284 and 285 are drawn together clamping the two booths ICCA into position with respect to each other. When the strap 270 has been pulled upwardly to the limit of its travel and two booths have been clamped together, the upper end of the strap 270 may be bent over on top of the adjacent side panel of one of the two booths to prevent the strap from moving downwardly. The clamp arrangement is thereby held in rm engagement with the two booths'and the two booths are held in alignment with the space between the two booths closed olf. The apparatus thus also serves to close ot in an attractive manner the undesirable space between the two booths.

It will be evident that a relatively small upward force on the strap 270 will provide a substantial inward torce upon the outer pivots `280 as la result of the displacement of the horizontal straps 272 and 274 which Will act to draw the vertically extending angles 282 and 283 inwardly against the adjacent faces of the booths being clamped together. The joining apparatus, when locked as noted above, by the bending over of the upper end of the strap 270 remains in a loaded state and thus continues to -act upon the two booths being joined together and serves to hold the booths in rigid alignment.

The members 284 and 285 may be finished in any desired manner in order to provide a surface in keeping with the trim applied to the booths being joined or clamped together. Thus the joining device may have an appearance which blends or matches the trim of the booths being joined together. Y

What is claimed is:

l. A coupling apparatus for joining together a pair of adjacent telephone booths comprising a vertically extending member, a plurality of pairs of opposed horizontally extending members extending outwardly from opposite sides of said vertically extending member and pivotally connected to said vertically extending member, said plurality of pairs of horizontally extending members being vertically spaced on said vertically extending member, a pair of vertically extending means each pivotally `attached to `outer ends of the outwardly extending members on opposite sides of said vertically extending member, said vertical and opposed pairs of members forming the sole connection between said pair of vertically extending means and `said pair of vertically extending means being substantially T-shaped in cross-section and pivotally attached at the base of the T including opposed inner surfaces of said T each adapted to engage adjacent outsidewalls of said pair o-f booths and said apparatus being adapted to be positioned between said pair of booths, said apparatus, upon upward motion of said vertically extending member, drawing said pair of vertically extending means .toward each other and lagainst adjacent outside walls of said booths clamping said booths together.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim l, including means for locking said vertically extending means in clamping position.

3. A coupling apparatus :for joining together a pair of adjacent telephone booths comprising a vertically extending member, a plurality of pairs of opposed horizontally extending members extending outwardly Ifrom opposite sides of said vertically extending member and pivotally connected to said vertically extend-ing member, said plurality of pairs of horizontally extending members being vertically spaced on said vertically extending member, a pair of vertically extending means each including a pair of angles having back to back 4ilanges pivotally attached to outer ends of the outwardly extending members on opposite sides of said vertically extending members, said vertically extending member and said opposed horizontally extending members forming the sole connection between said pair of vertically extending means,

a cover plate mounted on opposing anges of said back to back angles, said pair of vertically extending means including opposed inner surfaces each `adapted to `engage adjacent outside walls of said pair of booths and said apparatus being adapted to be positioned between said pair of booths, said apparatus, upon upward motion of said vertically extending member, drawing said pair of vertically extending means toward each other and against adjacent outside walls of said booths clamping said booths together.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, including means for locking said vertically extending means in clamping position.

5. A coupling apparatus for joining together a pair rof adjacent telephone booths comprising a vertically extending member, a plurality of pairs of opposed horizontally extending members extending outwardly from `opposite sides of Said vertically extending member and pivotally connected to said vertically extending member, said plurality of pairs of horizontally extending members :being vertically spaced on said vertically extending member, a pair of vertically extending means each pivotally attached to outer ends of the outwardly extending members on opposite sides of said vertically extending member, said vertical and opposed pairs of members forming the sole connection between said pairs of vertically extending means, and said pair of vertically extending means including opposed inner surfaces each overlying adjacent portions of the outside walls of said pair of booths and being substantially T-shaped in cross-section at the points of pivotal connection with said horizontally extending members, Said outer end pivotal connections being at the bases of said T-shapes, and said apparatus being adapted to be positioned 'between said pair of booths, said apparatus, upon upward motion of said vertically extending member, drawing said pair of vertically extending means toward each other and against adjacent outside walls of said booths clamping said booths together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,142,109 McKee .Tune 8, 1915 1,278,210 Rabinowitz Sept. 10, 1918 2,237,098 Gieseking Apr. 1, 1941 2,241,021 Riebe May 6, 1941 2,576,409 Michaelis et al. Nov. 27, 1951 

